The characteristics of traditional Tong School Bonsai

Bonsai art has a long history in China. Due to the vast territory of our country, the soil and climate environment vary greatly across the country, coupled with local customs and local cultural differences, with the passage of time, different schools of bonsai art have been formed, and bonsai is one of them.

The traditional Tongpai bonsai clipping has the following characteristics:

1. Select the best material

The advantages and disadvantages of bonsai are inseparable from the creator's ideological, cultural and artistic processing, and the selection of materials is a prerequisite. As far as the traditional bonsai is concerned, the trees of "Man, cripple, Qing, strange and ancient" are generally selected.

Full, refers to the plump upper and lower branches and leaves, the formed bonsai piece is flat and distinct, the crown is "steamed bread top", and the dry piece is "crucian carp back".

Crippled, choose trees that look mutilated, but this kind of tree is slightly processed, natural, dry and full of vitality.

Qing: choose more quiet trees.

Strange: select some trees with strange shapes, some of which originally grow in the stone crevices of deep mountains and canyons, with various roots and trunks, either chicken feet or flat dragons and snakes. After processing, some of these trees seem to be "welcoming", some seem to be "seeing off guests", some are like "tigers", some are like "Phoenix", and they are full of fun.

Gu: choose trees with long ages.

Second, the beauty of shape

1. The traditional Tongpai bonsai should have bends, second bends and half bends.

Seat bend: that is, the tree trunk is made into a "bend". For example, if the trunk is required to bend to the left first, the trunk should lean down to the right and plant in the basin, and the trunk should lean against the soil and bend to the left. this bend must be made into a camel shape to make the trunk feel vigorous and powerful.

The second bend: the second bend begins at the height of 1ax 2 (depending on the trunk), that is, the trunk continues to bend to the left and then to the right. The distance between the most bend and the most bend is slightly higher than the height of the seat bend.

Half-bend: the sitting bend and the second bend begin to cut off at a place where the transition distance is basically equal. It is particularly important to note that the center point of the half bend should be on the same line as the center of the seat bend.

2. Climbing root and teapot spout

Climbing roots: the traditional Tongpai bonsai should have climbing roots, roots into claws, forming intertwined roots, trees showing old and strong, safe and firm.

Teapot spout: start dry, hand dry, and the trunk should be tied into a certain angle of the teapot mouth type, the teapot spout should be different, the length is different, there are ups and downs.

Third, ups and downs, clear levels, one-sided fullness

A perfect traditional potted bonsai, to achieve the posture (shape) potential (branch direction) spirit (charm) ready, close look left leaning right, top straight, trunk vigorous and simple, back to see the film dry level is clear, dignified and plump, side look natural and natural.

The traditional "piece" of bonsai is also more demanding, the crown of the tree should be "top of steamed bread", the piece of tree should be "the back of crucian carp", and the back is more plump than the front.

Therefore, the predecessors used four sentences to summarize the characteristics of the traditional Tong School bonsai: that is,

The belly is sucked into a hunchback (seat bend)

The jumping horse galloped back (the second corner)

Line up and look sideways at the "military Flag" (half bend)

A line in the upper and lower center (as a whole)